Is MERCILESS RAY MERCER the best fighter over the last QUARTER CENTURY to NEVER receive a MAJOR tilte shot?

Question

NOTE

Anyone who has followed boxing for more than 6 years knows that the WBO was never considered a MAJOR title

From 88 to 2002 it was a secondary belt often used as a stepping stone by fighters to get some name recognition

Once they secured a possible shot at the UNDISPUTED title they would give up the WBO

Ray Mercer himself held this title but gave it up for the chance to fight a UNDISPUTED title elimination fight against Larry Holmes for the right to fight Holyfield

Holmes upset the then professionaly green Mercer

The WBO was only elevated AFTER 2002 when HBO began trumpeting THEIR fighter VLAD KLITCHKO as the heir apparant to the soon to be retiring legend Lennox Lewis.

From 85 to 2003 the UNDISPUTED title was the big 3 of the WBA the IBF and the WBC

Mercer was an Olympic Gold Medalist in 88

Ray could give anyone he fought sheer h**l

He obliterated Morrison

He fought a life and death war with a PRIMED HOLYFIELD

He also in the eyes of many beat LEWIS in a tossup

Answer 1

You know Mercer was a ranked Heavyweight during the 90's a good time for Heavyweight boxing! Ray Mercer had a nice amateur background and decent pro career, but his downfall was focus! He lost to several fighters in my opinion if he would have been focused and in shape he would have won! He let Jesse Ferguson beat him and he was upseted by AN OLDER Larry Holmes! A good chinned fighter with bad focus in a good time for heavyweights.

Answer 2

Actually the WBO became big much earlier on, with Fighters like Chris Eubank, Naseem Hamed, Winky Wright etc as champs in the early 1990's.

I agree that in the heavyweight division, the WBO was not taken that seriously though.

Id go for Kirklaind Laing as the best to never fight for a world title over the last 25 years or so, he was supremely gifted, beat Duran in 1982, but was supremely lazy, and often fought without training.

Mercer had an iron chin, and great punch. But his boxing skills were always limited, hence the ultimate losses to Lewis, Holyfield and Holmes. He was also totally outboxed by Francesco Damiani, until he caught him with a great uppercut.

Also, losing to the very ordinary Jesse Furguson, a fringe contender at best, means he cannot really be considered great.

Answer 3

After searching through a long list of heavyweights over the last quarter century, I find it hard to disagree with you. Donovan Ruddock is a honorable mention, but as agreed, I think I would have to give it to Mercer.

Answer 4

interesting question~ i've been trying to think of another good fighter never to receive a major title shot, and apart form donovan 'razor' ruddock (his fight with lewis wasn't for the wbc title, but lewis was handed the title after the match), who failed at the big ones, i can't come up with anyone (post wbo).

back when larry holmes was considered the linear champion, there were a few belt holders who never fought him, including mike dokes, pinklon thomas and john tate.

Answer 5

no razor ruddick was better.mercer had chances but everytime they would have an elimination fight he would lose.he never could beat the best and i'm sorry but he lost to lewis.